Basic Space
by lesfemmes
Summary: The Doctor and River Song learn themselves during confrontations with their past and future selves.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a fic exploring the relationship between the different versions of the Doctor and River Song. Iv'e decided to start out with the midpoint and **

**show their different relationships during times of procreation, violence, and experience. Enjoy.**

_Prelude_

It's always been easier for him to imagine a world where there were monsters and angels, black and white, good and bad. That's why the Doctor was ignoring River and her calls, well, her booty calls actually. He had to be careful. He had to rationalize the situation. The Doctor could get any River, maybe young and immensely stupid River. Quite honestly he thought she was an idiot. It must have been how she felt about him tripping and cursing in her presence years ago. She always used to keep secrets from him and piss him off and deal with his crude indifference. Indifference is the worst, if he had hated her that would've been like loving her. The Doctor and the Master, they were haters. They were lovers. The second stage of love or lust for the Doctor was when he had saved the universe properly that time, galloping through time and leaving hints, and loving and leaving (so he thought) Amelia. Until then he thought himself sexually aroused by intellect and power. Long nights with Bess and Saxon, as the humans called him in their ignorant reverie. River Song was his play thing, an untrustworthy and clever woman. Some called her a bitch. The Doctor, he liked to call her a noble woman.

He would come across her from time to time while saving a race from galactic genocide and engage in a sort of cerebral intercourse with River Song. It was brilliant. Meanwhile, all the women in the house fawned over him, but River teased him. She teased him with her secrets and her tertiary entendres. He liked to think of her body parts as a puzzle. That way he could form a connection between his attraction between her mind and body. Something he had never felt before. It wasn't love back then. It was admiration and respect. It wasn't trust back then; it was integrity over a contract, a matter of intellectual property. Now it was a matter of life or death. That night, that day in nineteen sixty nine she became a part of the family. Of course he did not know. Amelia and Rory were in love, but he still left room for doubt in Amy's mind. The Doctor loved it. He was a wild man. He was the margin of error between a life in cozy Leadsworth and life of impromptu adventures and unrequited lust. River was scary in that way. He could've continued a life as an anomaly and wedge between healthy family and life, death, and non existence.

River Song was all three of those things.

* * *

><p>When she kissed him next to her jail cell he had felt guilty. Oh no the Doctor thought. I'm falling in love and I've already killed her. I guess that's how it is for all of his companions, except River wasn't a companion. She made it all concrete. When she came at Demon's Run like the legend said, when she regenerated physically and as person in Berlin. Their marriage witnessed by the Ponds themselves. It all felt like fate. Fate was not something the Doctor could run away from. He needed some autonomy, one kiss where no one was watching, one conversation about the weather. That's why some several nights after his "<em>death<em>", when she appeared at his door he just stood there in anticipation. Where was her gun? Where was her holster? Had she forgotten them? Was Amy okay?

"Amy and Rory are fine", she sighed and took a seat on the leather jump seat. Her legs were folded in a pretzel shape.

He caught her licking her lips. She wore a ribbed tank top and those jodhpurs that made her bum look excellent. There was no immediate danger. He felt bold tonight. He felt heterosexual. He felt relaxed.

"You really look gorgeous, River, absolutely fabulous. Listen, may I sit next to you? I have this strong urge to touch your face to mine before we get threatened."

She laughed. He sat down next to her and put both of his hands on his face and kissed her on the lips, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"That was very nice sweetie", she sighed into his neck.

She leaned back and the Doctor saw that her eyes were a bit sparkly. She was his age he thought. Oh god we are peers. We know. We see everything the same way because, for once in our relationships, we are equal.

"I'm sorry dear. That must be surprising for you."

"You know love? I really would like to have sex with you right now. I want to have dinner and I want to talk with you as an adult."

Okay so they weren't completely equal. The Doctor sometimes felt as if he had been robbed of his eleventh sexuality. It was ridiculous how powerful an assumption was. He really did want to connect with River on that…_sensual_ …level. He could see her and hear her now, but he wanted to feel her, taste her, and penetrate her. Tonight he had no excuse. He was to be bold about things and keep a firm grasp on his body. Like a normal sentient humanoid.

"Sounds lovely. I'll have Her put on some music i stole from Gustav and we'll cook together, yeah?"

The Doctor cant cook. It'll give them a wonderful excuse to make a mess. River asked him like a human being. She was not a human being. She was River. They were on a space ship. Why had he forgotten how to be an adult?

**A/N: The next chapter will be a continuation of this one. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for sticking with the story for those who alerted this! I didn't really explain the story really well on the first chapter. This story really focuses on the Doctors on filtered thoughts and explores whats going through his mind as he experiences relationship with River and learns that he's actually in several relationships with her. Thanks for reading!**

He didn't know why they bothered to make dinner. Oh well. Before this, they were in the kitchen deep inside Her, making fabulous dinner. No matter how many Planets River had been to, she always chose Earth food. Aromatic rice noodles with pork and dark chocolate raspberry soufflé. The Doctor being himself didn't cook much outside of pushing a few buttons and thinking a few thoughts. He sat on the floor on the corner smiling while she scurried around the kitchen, sliding to open cupboards and cabinets. This was perfect. Her life wasn't in danger. He had optimal view on her bum bouncing around the kitchen. He was rewiring part of Her console. If the Doctor ever had a night in it'd be this. Still something didn't feel right. His legs were restless and kicking. His stomach was grumbling, so it balanced his need to run away for something.

"Come here sweetie and have a look it this. I put some mint in the chocolate mousse and I'm wondering if it needs anything else."

She had intense and proud look on her face, nothing suggestive.

The Doctor walked over, curiosity painted his face before it went dark. The shadow was back over his brow. He gave that look; the look that only River ever sees's grace his face when he's thinking about sex or being mean and impressive.

"Well your making it so it's probably delicious", he whispered over her shoulder.

"But I could give it a taste."

There was a space between the island and the counter.

The Doctor with his left hand lowering under the hem of her leggings and one hand over her left.

He continued to put is palm on her hand and dip it in her sugar bowl. He cursed in his head because her arm was in such an awkward angle, but reminded himself that contortion allowed him to see the muscle and fat of her feminine limb. As he bent down and slowly sucked on her finger he heard the gasp; the gasp that only he would ever hear. He continued stroking between her thighs as he watched the flush rise up her breasts.

"River", he whispers with a sort of urgency.

"I'm sure what you've created is just lovely but I really need you. I'm restless and I'm not tired and I don't want to talk right now. "

"You see, as eloquent as I am, I have another strong suit."

River sighed and peeled of her shirt. She peeled of her pants. She sat naked on top of the kitchen island with the bowl in between her legs.

"Well you're about as thirsty for my sex as I am for chocolate. So we are just going to have to multitask, sweetie."

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><p>The Doctor never thought they would actually rest in peace; it's probably why they haven't died "for real". Maybe that daunting fear and angst about her future wasn't valid. Maybe she could just ride him like there was no tomorrow, he knowing full well that after a year's worth of tomorrows she'd be right. He had all of the time. It was so simple and complicated. The Doctor didn't know how anyone could take for granted acts that connected the body and caused so much euphoric pleasure, like running isles with the love of his lifetime. He had it in his mind and his hearts that he loved her. It would take a baby for him to say. That would never happen. Mortal danger was much too common.<p>

The night ended, both of them kneeled on top if the counter grinding until they reached their destinations.

After lying in heap, River slipped on her tank top and pants on. She leant down and apologized for some future shite the Doctor was to be hit with. There was a bright flash and the Doctors naked body picked up his bowl of noodles and left the kitchen.

Their hot run was over.

**A/N: Next chapters will include a great little dialogue with Amy about the Doctor and River, his next relationship, and some big (predictable) news. Thanks again!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: This chapter is a bit of a set up chapter and sadly doesn't feature (she'll be back ) River but kind of allows me to unravel some of the darker themes in the canon as well as the subject of his sexuality. Thanks :)**_

It was another morning after. After he and River have their escapades and general shenanigans he feels empty. It's that shitty in between time where he doesn't have a roommate to seduce or impress anymore. It's just him and his ship, anchored in galaxy far away from everything.

"I'm in my pants and I'm talking to no-one and I haven't got anyone to save or fix. I miss my wife."

The Doctor didn't really believe that she was his wife, but then again she had to be. It was witnessed they were in love. The fasting was observed by all of time and space simultaneously. Somewhere deep inside the Doctor thought that if he didn't name what they had that he wouldn't feel as vulnerable to the constant enigma that surrounded his little family unit. Who he really missed was Amelia. _I don't have time for this._ Constant phone calls to the console plagued his sex life, which was really all he had after Rory and Amy left. He was slowly falling into his old habit of avoiding the biggest loves in his life and the Doctor thought that that day was a good day to confront his fear with his darling Amelia Pond.

There was an ominous blue door that wasn't his. When the golden knocker met his gaze he shivered a little bit at the thought of seeing this house again. The Doctor for once didn't want to cause a scene that would result in Amy being sectioned by the next door neighbors.

_What the hell._

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><p>"Doctor."<p>

She was obviously confused at his appearance, but the shadow cast over her brow quickly turned with the flash of her vanishing thought. With the ambivalence clear the Doctor decided it was his turn to mutter something non-threatening.

"Hello Amelia."

Amy took in a long drag of air.

"Listen I know you think it's been a long time since I saw you, but it hasn't, at least not for me."

Amy sighed and waved the Doctor into the house with a sad half grin. The Doctor thought if melancholy had a face that it would be that of the round faced ginger standing ahead of him. It's been a considerable amount of time since he last saw her, but the pallor of her face and the sticky dryness on the corner of her eyelids suggested that she had seen him much more recently than he initially suspected.

The kettle made a bubbling noise. The Doctor took a seat at the island in the kitchen. She made some tea with milk and sugar. Domestic was probably one of the slightly overused words in his vocabulary, but the Doctor could think of no other word to describe this moment in time besides sad.

"What's happened to you Amelia? You're wearing full length trousers", the Doctor chuckled into his tea, looking her up and down.

"Look , if you've come to criticize me about my slightly more conservative and less rude form of dress you should know that I'm a grown woman and you are incredibly late. Well I guess Rory's late now", Amy sighed into her wrist.

_Why is she wearing a watch? It's the 21__st__ century._

"I know what you're thinking Doctor and fuck you. There is no use trying to prove myself to you. It's what a stupid girl would do. It's what River would do actually. I was always so impressed with her when I was young, but now I realize she was just trying to demonstrate she was more brilliant. It's absolutely true, but you were already in awe. It was waste of time and a bit demeaning. You're here to speak with me about my daughter's relationship with you like a legal agreement and I can tell you I'm not qualified. After you finish that cup I'll ask if you'd like another. You will accept and say your last words before you leave. You will never come to this time again, so fly Her right, yeah?"

"What are you Amy, like 25 years old? If we could just back up for a second and maybe grab Rory and talk about this in orbit…"

"Doctor I'm 30 years old and you really need to stop being so distracting. Please. I don't want to be whisked away. You abandon people. I knew It was too good to be true, but I could feel it deep down in my gut that you would let her down."

"Amelia I can only help if I know what the bloody shit you're talking about! I would never abandon you or the rest of _my _family. The only family I have."

He took a step back from Amy's burning stare. So god damned stubborn.

"Oh really? Why don't we take a bet? If I win you can stop doing a shit on everyone's life. You're made out to be a hero because you never turn your back on the universe, but apparently you'll turn you back on the two beings in the universe that need you most. I'm sorry I'm angry with this you. Just don't. "

The kettle whistled as if it was boiling along with her temper.

_Two?_

Dejected, the Doctor shut the door behind him and kicked the red car parked in the drive.


End file.
